FlaMariner

It looks like we are turning "gold" during this cruise and I've read that Carnival lets you use your new level if it happens on the cruise....Don't think that is going to help out with laundry. Thanks for the details....Looks like we may be doing this dorm style with visits to the washateria. Will need to pack detergent pods. Thanks

Perfect! That will work well for us. Thanks,

Just awesome help @Haljo1935 ...and I know you would know from where I am coming from! Thank you.

Yes, our April Oosterdam cruise had the Dutch themed dinner in the MDR. I recall a great menu....pea soup is delicious....and also had an Indonesian entree...which, I learned, is very Dutch. It's good to see the "Dutch dinner" back...

It's been awhile since we boarded a Carnival ship.....We have booked passage on the Panorama reposition cruise from Singapore this fall......Can folks help us out on how these situations roll on Carnival? Holland America Line is our reference point. We prefer fixed dining (same time, same table for two, same waiters). We have early dining but no reference to a table for two. Will I be able to get a table for two, same time, same waiters for the cruise? We'd like to not stand in line each evening and simply head to our table. We enjoy wine at dinner. Are there reasonably priced wine bottle packages? Or how best economically to enjoy wine at dinner? We like the thermal suite. I do not see that it is available to purchase online in the spa listings. Any intel on the price and the experience? We enjoy the unlimited laundry service and we send out dirty clothes daily. Is that available on Carnival and how much? We'd appreciate any and all advice to help make this a great Carnival cruise!

I'd be all over that offer........congrats.

^^^This.... We just bought one way tickets thru the cruise line (Flight Ease on Holland America Line) for our TA in April for $485 each (AMS to ATL). I'll be watching the fares because (based on previous experience) the price may drop a time or two and the fare is such that you can cancel/rebook w/no issues prior to cruise final payment.

You will be fine...our last couple of cruises we have successfully boarded using the electronic boarding pass on the Navigator app....The only document we need in our hands is our USA passport. You are good to go based on our latest boardings. Enjoy the cruise.......and RVing along the way.

We saw a "rough draft" of the Origin Story on the maiden voyage of the Rotterdam in 2021. I say "rough draft" because they had many of the same slides from the Covid chaos and told the portion of the Origin Story dealing with getting the crews home during Covid. Once. It's a great presentation if you are interested in the history of Holland America Line....We love it and enjoyed it... The Origin Story has been shown on every HAL cruise we've boarded since Rotterdam 2021.......beginning with the Nieuw Amsterdam in late 2021 to the Oosterdam in 2024.

That's what happens if you don't tip the teamsters enough in Port Everglades......LOL.

Geeze...I just responded to a resurrected post from 7 years ago.....I need to get a life away from cruise critic....LOL>

We are carry on folks and I manage to wear a long sleeve dress shirt and kaki pants at "dressy night".....which meets the HAL dress code requirements..... Also, Her Majesty always looks great in her black dress......on "dressy nights". I don't think the amount of luggage hauled on board relates to what folks decide to wear onboard..... We are carry on folks but we do not own "beer ad" t-shirts. Enjoy the journey, no matter what you choose to wear onboard!

Yes We carry our luggage on and off these days.....We each manage with a carry on/roller bag and a backpack each. Why? With HAL laundry, we can easily travel with the carry on/roller bag each We avoid the wait for our luggage once onboard We avoid the teamsters and the tip when arriving at Port Everglades (and other ports) We avoid baggage fees when we fly Delta (and most flights, Delta gladly takes our bag and checks them for free at the gate) We use early dis-embarkation and love it...easy off and to the transport If land touring pre or post cruise, we can easily get around and with HAL's laundry service we either leave the ship with clean clothes or arrive on the ship with dirty clothes. I realize other folks have different experiences......but....Enjoy the journey and carry the luggage onboard!

I've used the term B2B "back to back" to define remaining on the ship for the next voyage.....no matter if it was the original port.

That's the way we roll also.....

Also agree with this.... We've done 3 B2B/Collectors cruises (since the unpleasantness/restart) and the price was always better booking as individual cruises vs the collector cruise......If booked as individual cruises, the shareholder, welcome back and other OBC offers may be more $$$ than if you just booked one cruise. Another choice is the cabin.....Perhaps one of the cruises is more port intensive and you may be fine with an inside cabin but then the second cruise you may want to bump up to a balcony.....or vice versa.... Of course, YMMV......and I'd suggest doing the math on both options.

Onboard the Oosterdam in April for a B2B..... The TA was full (as I was told) as was the 11 night Barcelona to Athens...and prices on the 11 night increased greatly in the last few months before showing "sold out". Also, Mother wanted to book a 7 night Caribbean run with the granddaughters.....the 1/4 NS price went from $565 to $850 to $1200 (inside guarantee) rather quickly......She missed out for now...still tracking.... We are tracking fall 2025 Europe and it seems the prices are higher rather early.... I agree with you, the ships seem to be filling up quicker than recent history....

It was fun watching both episodes filmed on the Eurodam.....The ship made for a great backdrop...And having the captain, Gus and many of the great staff visible was a treat.

I chase the lowest price and when onboard I often come armed with a few cruise prices from the large internet TA we use to see if I can get a better price booking onboard....It has never happened. We do load up on the FCD's...they are a no brainer for us in that they reduce our deposit risk to $100 and they come with free money (OBC)....and in the "hope it never happens" file, the FCD is refunded if not used in 4 years.

Thanks for sharing this..... Just noticed that the large internet TA we use has this new info....this makes my math at getting to the daily fare when comparing cruises so much easier.....It also explains why I thought cruise prices had suddenly jumped in price..... Here is their wording..... NEW! Prices now include port charges and government taxes and fees (previously taxes and fees were charged but were not included in the displayed price).

@roothy123 Thank you for passing that info along.....

Same. Agree. Not worth hauling bottles of wine to the ship with the discount on the Sommelier packages. Enjoy the wine onboard......

kicking this back up...any intel?

I agree. We docked at Villafranche on the Oosterdam in April. Great port....Our independent tour took us to Nice, Monaco and surrounds....great day. Nice was our favorite and we said we'd like to come back to Nice..... Also, Villefranche is a tender port.....So if Nice is not, you are in much better shape. Enjoy France and the Oosterdam........

No explanation has been needed for us...the coupon is for a "free Mariner cocktail" and we hand it to the bartender and he delivers a "free Mariner cocktail"....And it is enjoyed and appreciated. Enjoy the journey.......